Juan Félix Sánchez

Juan Félix Sánchez Sánchez ( also Juan Félix Sánchez, born May 16, 1900 in San Rafael de Mucuchíes, Mérida, † April 18, 1997 there ), was a Venezuelan artist and artisans.

Life and work

Sánchez was self-taught as an artist. As a religious sculptors, painters, weavers and architects he used especially materials that he found in the woods of its Venezuelan home in order, to be " closer to God " in his own words. He fashioned from wood and clay, numerous representations Marie and crucifixes. Among other things, he designed and built in 1984 together with his partner Gil Epiphany of thousands of stones, the Chapel of San Rafael de Mucuchíes. He was also buried in this chapel. Another chapel, which he built with Epiphany Gil, is in El Tisure, the chapel in El Bohío was dedicated to Our Lady of Coromoto. His buildings earned him the nickname architect of the Andes.

In the center of Mérida is the Casa de la Culture Juan Félix Sánchez, the changing exhibitions of artists and artisans of the region on the upper floor.

The life and work of Sánchez was shown in documentaries such as Juan Felix Sanchez and Tisure.

Awards and recognitions

• Premio " Aquiles Nazoa ", 1987.
• Premio Nacional de Artes Plásticas, 1989.

Back of the chapel

Wooden crucifix of Sánchez